As the World Falls Down
by HungryDemon
Summary: Spoilers for volume 11. Tetheus had always put his emotions last. As the Dragon Castle is ravaged by warfare, he finally comes face-to-face with them, and the strange woman who made them emerge.


A/N: Don't try to write fanfiction while also reading a Victorian novel and listening to David Bowie. This is the result, minus sequins. I should also probably thank SharkGirl again for getting me into this type of writing. Yay SharkGirl!

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragon Knights, and the title of this fic comes from the David Bowie song, which just happened to be the inspiration for all this. Also because I like this pairing and never see it.

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"The sun sets in flames as the city burns  
Another day gone down as the night turns  
And I hold you here in my heart  
As things fall apart"  
-Bruce Springsteen, "Last to Die"

Tetheus had never fallen in love. He had never let himself. What was the point, if he was going to live on while the people he loved withered away and died? He had his duties to the Dragon Lord, and that was the only sort of commitment he needed, or wanted. Lord Lykouleon had saved him, and Tetheus owed him nothing short of his life. He was serious, loyal, and in all of his long life, he didn't have time for anyone else that he was not trying to serve.

Tetheus might have shown little emotion, but that didn't mean he had none of it. He couldn't help becoming attached to the people around him—the Lord, the Officers, the Knights, even the Dragon Fighters. He couldn't stop the feelings of failure he felt when he heard his men scream with pain, or see their blood staining the walls of the Dragon Castle. He didn't want to be attached to anyone else, no more than he had to be. Love only bred pain. He would not have such trouble fighting Shydeman and Shyrendora had they not known and loved each other as siblings. It was so many years ago, and he thought his old family, his old past didn't matter anymore. He didn't realize what effect they would have on him when they faced each other again—ready to kill each other at any moment.

He couldn't afford to cling to anyone. But, God, did he want to.

Then he met her. An energetic young lady, bad singer, always with a hopeful word or cheerful smile, no matter how dire her situation. He had only seen her once before, when they were standing next to each other, but still so far away. Things had been better then. Nothing looked so bleak then as it did now. When they first met, when she told him to count on her, that everything would be all right, he wanted to believe her. No one wanted to think that this day, the day the Dragon Lord failed or the Dragon Kingdom fell would ever come. Tetheus had considered these possibilities. She had not. She was confident, she knew what she was going to do, what part she had in saving the world. And she was going to succeed, no matter what happened.

It might have just been dumb ignorance, but that was what drew Tetheus to her. He wished he could always feel as happy as she was, no matter how everything fell to pieces around you. There was never a time when the Black Dragon Officer could stifle the nagging thoughts in the back of his mind, but remained silent and calm on the surface. Feelings were something to be kept inside. They had nothing to do with his job. He had to remain clear-headed and make the best decisions that he could. He had always thought that was Alfeegi's problem, constantly shouting at Ruwalk, Kaistern, and everyone else.

Now none of that mattered. Everything was collapsing around them, falling and breaking before their eyes. Tetheus couldn't recall a time where he felt more helpless. No matter what he did to try to protect the world he had (however reluctantly) come to love, it was as though nothing in his power could even make a dent.

The Dragon Lord was going to die. Demons were ravaging the castle and its inhabitants. Everyone was exhausted, physically and mentally. They couldn't keep fighting forever, and there was no end to the parade of demons pouring in from all sides. What hope was there left?

And there she was, concentrating on her duties to the Dragon Lord as well, risking anything she had to do her job. And she did it with a fearful smile, but a smile nonetheless.

Since Alfeegi's death, since the barrier fell, since everything went wrong and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it, Tetheus's thoughts had wandered more and more to that girl in the cave. He knew what she was doing, but he wanted to see more of her. He wanted to understand a little more of her than just her progress in her journey. Her reassurances for him and the Dragon Fighters to go and leave her, that she would be fine now, only made him think about her more. And now, when it looked like the world he knew was finally at an end, when it looked like darkness would finally overcome light, he only wished he had told her his name. Everything was ending now; he didn't have to fear regrets anymore. He didn't have to worry that he would live on without her.

He saw her amidst the chaos and rubble, scared but certain as always. He wanted to say something to her, but words were not the Officer's strong suit. He didn't want to tell her stupid romantic lies: "Everything will be all right, I'll protect you, I'll be with your forever", because none of that could happen. People always got hurt, and nothing lasts for all time. Not even the Dragon Kingdom. Even if he managed to live through this turmoil, his duties would still be to the Kingdom—not to her. Still, the destruction unfolding around them, ready to tear everything apart, meant that eternity might come sooner than either of them would like.

He took Kitchel's hand. It was warm.


End file.
